Many tools and other objects require a user to position or aim the tool or object in a desired direction or at a desired target during use. For example, a user must point and aim a pointer, laser, bow and arrow, handgun, shotgun, rifle, or other firearm at a desired target during use. The particular direction of aim depends solely on the relative location of the target with respect to the operator and may generally be described as the line of sight between the user and the target. For example, the user looks at the target and then positions or aims the tool or object to point along the user's line of sight to the target.
In many cases, the tool or object includes an alignment aid that assists the user to quickly and accurately aim the tool or object. For example, firearms may include a front sight and a rear sight that allow the user to aim the firearm at the target by visually lining up the front and rear sights along the user's line of sight to the target. While front and rear sights that are known can provide a geometrically accurate solution for aligning the firearm to the target along the line of sight, the sights generally require that the user place the firearm directly in the user's line of sight to the target which may undesirably obscure the user's view of the target. In addition, the physical task of visually lining up the target with the front and rear sights takes time and coordination that may not exist during a crisis or another situation that requires immediate response to a moving or stationary target. Moreover, the additional time required to visually acquire a target and visually line up the target with the front and rear sights may reduce the ability of a user to effectively operate the firearm or reduce the ability of the user to quickly acquire and engage one or more targets.
Therefore, the need exists for an improved firearm and alignment aid that may be temporarily or permanently fixed to the firearm to facilitate efficient and accurate aiming of the firearm at a desired target.